Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Job 39
Job 39:5-6"Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey, to the wild donkey the wilderness is his home, and the salt land his dwelling place.
God points out that He is the one who gives the wild donkey its freedom, a life completely separate from human cities and control. This highlights a world that doesn't revolve around humanity's needs or plans.Job 39:17because God has made her forget wisdom and given her no share in understanding.
God explains that He intentionally withheld certain kinds of wisdom from the ostrich, yet it thrives. This challenges our assumption that success and survival are always linked in ways we can easily understand.Job 39:26-27"Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south? Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
God asks Job if his understanding commands the birds of prey. The obvious answer is no, emphasizing that the majestic and fierce aspects of nature operate by God's design, not human intellect.
Historical & Cultural Context
From Accusation to Awe
After thirty-seven chapters of Job's intense suffering, his friends' flawed advice, and his own desperate pleas for an audience with God, God finally speaks. He doesn't begin by explaining Job's pain or defending His actions. Instead, speaking from a whirlwind, God launches a series of questions in chapter 38 about the foundations of the earth, the sea, and the stars, designed to completely reframe Job's limited perspective.
A Tour of the Untamable
Job 39 continues this divine interrogation, moving from the cosmos to the animal kingdom. God takes Job on a virtual tour of wild, untamable creatures - the mountain goat, the wild donkey, the powerful ox, the fearless horse, and the soaring eagle. This is not a gentle nature walk. It is a stunning display of fierce, independent life that exists for God's purposes, utterly indifferent to human control or convenience.
A Glimpse into God's Wild Kingdom
Continuing His speech from the whirlwind, God turns Job's attention to the animal kingdom. He poses a series of questions about creatures that live far from human civilization, highlighting their instincts, freedom, and power. This is not a lecture on zoology. It is a powerful lesson in humility, designed to show Job how little he truly knows and controls about the world God has made and sustains.
The Free and the Wild (Job 39:1-8)
1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does?
2 Do you know the time when the mountain goats give birth? Do you observe the calving of the does?
3 Do you number the months that they fulfill, and do you know the time when they give birth,
4 Their young ones become strong; they grow up in the open; they go out and do not return to them.
5 "Who has let the wild donkey go free? Who has loosed the bonds of the swift donkey,
6 to the wild donkey the wilderness is his home, and the salt land his dwelling place.
7 He scorns the tumult of the city; he hears not the shouts of the driver.
8 He ranges the mountains as his pasture, and he searches after every green thing.
Commentary:
God cares for wild animals whose lives are completely separate from human control, showing His domain is vast and mysterious.
The Untamable Wild Ox (Job 39:9-12)
9 “Is the wild ox willing to serve you? Will he spend the night at your manger?
10 Can you bind the wild ox to his furrow with ropes, or will he harrow the valleys after you?
11 Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
12 Will you have faith in him that he will return your grain and gather it to your threshing floor?
Commentary:
God highlights the powerful wild ox to show Job that some parts of creation are intentionally left beyond human control and use.
The Foolish, Swift Ostrich (Job 39:13-18)
13 "The wings of the ostrich wave proudly, but are they the pinions and plumage of love?"
14 For she leaves her eggs to the earth and lets them be warmed on the ground,
15 She forgets that a foot may crush them and that the wild beast may trample them.
16 She deals cruelly with her young, as if they were not hers; though her labor be in vain, yet she has no fear,
17 because God has made her forget wisdom and given her no share in understanding.
18 When she rouses herself to flee, she laughs at the horse and his rider.
Commentary:
The seemingly foolish ostrich thrives by God's unique design, proving that His wisdom doesn't always match human expectations.
The Fearless War Horse (Job 39:19-25)
19 "Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane?
20 Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying.
21 It paws in the valley and exults in its strength; it goes out to meet the weapons.
22 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
23 “The quiver rattles against him, the flashing spear and javelin.
24 He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword.
25 As often as the trumpet sounds he says, ‘Aha!’ and he smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.
Commentary:
God describes the majestic and fearless war horse to show that its incredible strength and courage are His divine gift, not a human creation.
The Soaring Birds of Prey (Job 39:26-30)
26 "Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars and spreads his wings toward the south?
27 Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up and makes his nest on high?
28 On the rock it dwells and makes its home, on the rocky crag and stronghold.
29 From there it spies out the prey; its eyes behold it from far away.
30 His young ones suck up blood, and where the slain are, there is he.”
Commentary:
God points to the hawk and eagle to prove that the highest and fiercest parts of nature operate by His command alone.
The Wisdom of the Wild
God's Sovereignty Over All Creation
This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God's rule extends to every detail of the natural world. From the birthing cycle of a mountain goat to the fearless charge of a war horse, God is intimately involved and in complete control, revealing a sovereignty that is far more vast than Job had imagined.
The Limits of Human Understanding
Every question God asks is designed to be unanswerable by Job. This entire speech serves as a lesson in intellectual humility, showing Job that his perspective is incredibly small. God's wisdom in creating and sustaining the world is too deep and complex for any human to fully grasp or judge.
A World Not Centered on Humanity
The animals described in this chapter exist for their own purposes, under God's care. The wild donkey's freedom and the wild ox's untamable strength serve no human purpose, which directly challenges the human-centric worldview that assumes all of creation is for our benefit and control.
Finding Humility in God's Creation
It reminds you that the world is much bigger than your immediate struggles. God is managing a universe of intricate details, from the wild donkey's freedom (Job 39:5) to the eagle's nest (Job 39:27). This perspective brings humility, helping you trust that the same God who cares for them is also aware of your situation, even if His ways are beyond your understanding.
Like someone trying to harness the wild ox (Job 39:9-10), you might try to force outcomes in your career, relationships, or future. This chapter encourages you to recognize the limits of your own strength and control. It's an invitation to release your tight grip and trust in God's sovereign wisdom, which operates in ways you cannot predict or domesticate.
Take time to intentionally observe the natural world around you. Notice the things that operate completely outside of human influence, like a bird building its nest or the sheer force of a thunderstorm. Reflecting on the power of the horse (Job 39:19-25) or the instinct of the hawk (Job 39:26) can move you from trying to analyze God to standing in awe of His creative genius.
God's Wisdom in Wild Creation
In response to Job's demand for justice, God reveals a world that operates by a wisdom far beyond human rules and reasoning. He points to the wild, free, and untamable aspects of His creation to show that His governance is not limited to human affairs or simple moral ledgers. The message is a powerful lesson in humility: the God who masterfully designed the fearless horse and the soaring eagle is worthy of our trust, even when His plans are mysterious.
What This Means for Us Today
Job 39 is an invitation to lift our eyes from our own circumstances and behold the grandeur of a God who delights in wildness and freedom. It calls us to find peace not in having all the answers, but in trusting the One whose wisdom is woven into every corner of creation.
- Where in my life do I need to stop demanding answers and start cultivating awe?
- How can I better appreciate the 'untamable' aspects of God's work in the world and in my own life?
- What part of nature can I observe this week to remind me of God's vast, untamed wisdom?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter begins God's speech from the whirlwind, where He questions Job about the foundations of the cosmos, setting the stage for the focus on the animal kingdom.
God continues to challenge Job, asking if he can truly condemn God's justice, which leads to Job's first, brief response of humility and repentance.
Connections Across Scripture
This psalm is a beautiful hymn of praise that celebrates God's wisdom and provision over all of creation, echoing many of the themes in God's speech to Job.
This passage uses similar rhetorical questions to emphasize God's incomparable power and wisdom as the Creator who measures the heavens and holds the earth.
Paul states that God's eternal power and divine nature are clearly seen in the created world, which is the very lesson God is teaching Job.
Theological Connections
This passage describes God's original act of creating the animals, each 'according to its kind,' which finds its poetic expression in Job 39.
Discussion Questions
- God never directly answers Job's questions about his suffering. Why do you think He responds with a tour of the animal kingdom instead?
- Which animal described in this chapter stands out to you the most, and what does its portrayal teach you about God's character or wisdom?
- Job 39 describes a world that is wild, untamable, and sometimes even harsh. How does this challenge or expand your view of what it means for God's creation to be 'good'?